Thank you to everyone who has reviewed so far, it means a lot to me..
Well here is chapter 5 enjoy and please review.
Chapter 5- Too close for comfort
Harry walked quickly ahead of Ron and Seamus once they reached the ministry. He couldn't shake the image of Hermione and Draco together in the café. It was beginning to work his nerves in overload. Imagine his surprise when Draco wasn't in the castle and Hermione was late for lunch. He immediately feared the worse. He searched places he thought Hermione would have gone to and nothing. Then on his last attempt to recheck the restaurant there stood Draco and his wife.
He still recalled the pain that cut through his heart when he watched them talk. He had been so worried, when he couldn't find her and so pissed off when he did. He stood there watching as Malfoy pulled her into his body. He watched her gasp at the action and he snapped. Harry never felt such jealousy before, such weakness. Yes she was becoming a weakness for him.
She did tell him she wasn't with Draco and he wanted so desperately to believe her, but he couldn't shake the feeling she was hiding something. What was he suppose to think? They had a history between them and if he had anything to say about it, history would not repeat it's self.
Harry opened his office door with more force then intended and began walking around the room in circles. Ron and Seamus shared worried glances at each other.
"Harry, stop your pacing. You look like a nervous bride on her wedding night rather than a commanding auror about to make a speech"
Try as he might, Harry couldn't help but smile "A bride Ron? You couldn't at least have said bridegroom?"
"A figure of speech," Ron said with a smile.
Harry gave his childhood friend a lot more latitude than most employees had. As Harry's next in charge and right hand man, Ron was privy to many things, but as lifelong friends, he knew even more.
All joking aside, Ron suddenly looked serious. "Just take a deep breath and settle down."
"Settle down?" Harry raked his fingers through his dark hair in utter frustration. "Settle down?" he repeated.
"I shouldn't be here waiting for the next meeting, I shouldn't be here wasting time"
"Okay, you got our attention Harry, and just what should you be doing?" Seamus asked sitting on Harry's desk.
"I should be out there, looking for him?" he spat
"Him" Ron asked confused "Care to explain" "Draco" he answered "I should be out there looking for Draco, instead of going to a pointless meeting"
"Draco, Harry why are you wasting your time with him?" Seamus said. Ron looked over at Harry "Yes Harry why?"
"He hasn't done anything to cross you" Seamus said "Well he did survive Seamus, that's bad enough" Ron said laughing.
"See that's where you're wrong" Harry said to the both of them "Earlier today right before lunch, I went to see him at Hogwarts" Pacing the room Harry sighed as the image at the café came back to him.
"No kidding?" Ron laughed, "So what happened?" "Well nothing actually, he wasn't there. By the time I figured it out it was time to meet you for lunch" he grabbed on to the back of a chair. "I stopped by to surprise Mione and she was no where to be found"
"Did something happen to her?" Ron asked, his voice on the verge of anger "That's what I thought" Harry replied
"I apperated to the café to see if the girls went ahead, but she wasn't there. I swear Ron I checked everywhere"
Harry groaned aloud before he continued, "I decided to check the café once last time before I launched a full blown search and I'm not happy that I did"
"Harry I don't understand what any of this has to do with Draco" Seamus added. Harry glanced at Seamus clearly annoyed.
"Well allow me to enlighten you then Seamus, like I said I entered the café and what do I see Draco and Mione talking and if that wasn't bad enough he had his hands on her. He even went as far as pulling her close to him"
Ron gasped, "Why didn't you say anything at the restaurant Harry? I would have cursed him to hell" Ron yelled upset.
"Wait a bloody minute, she wasn't with him was she?" he asked Harry. "My first thought as well, but she said she wasn't"
Ron wiped his forehead as a gesture of relief "Thank Merlin" he sighed "I'm not so convinced Ron" Harry spat before taking a seat at his desk. Seamus turned around to face Harry "Come off it Potter, if Hermione said she wasn't with him then she wasn't," he protested.
"Look I know my wife thank you" he said, "Yeah, and we have known her for just as long as you remember" Seamus said.
"I'm just saying she wouldn't lie to you Harry" Harry sighed, "I know that, I … I just think she's hiding something from me and that's just as bad"
The knock at the door prevented any response Seamus may have had as they all stood up. "Enter" Harry called out.
A tall man with dark brown hair entered the office. He smiled as he nodded to the three men "Thought I might find you guys here" he said, "The meeting is going to start in five minutes" Looking at his watch Harry sighed. Placing a smile on his face for show he looked back at the doorway.
"Thanks Neville, we'll be there in a moment" "Ah right; Harry is everything okay?" Neville asked "Fine, fine thanks for asking" Harry said still holding on to the smile. "How is Susan and the baby?" he asked.
"Both are wonderful" Neville smiled big "Susan is in good health and that daughter of mine is something else" he beamed with pride. Harry couldn't help but smile a real smile "Fatherhood is something special Neville, I understand completely"
Harry spoke softly.
Nodding his head in agreement Neville grabbed the doorknob "Ok then see you guys at the meeting" he said and shut the door.
"I can't believe Neville landed Susan bones" Ron said, "She was so hot back at Hogwarts"
"True, like no body believed it when you shacked up with Looney Lovegood" Seamus snickered. Narrowing his eyes Ron glared at him "Your just mad I got her Finnigan, sorry only one girlfriend per friend"
Ron smirked; he knew Seamus hated to be reminded of his relationship with Lavender. Harry watched the two have their friendly row and tried to keep from laughing.
"What's so funny Potter?" Ron asked seeing Harry was struggling with containing his laughter.
"Nothing, let's go to this meeting. I need a distraction anyway. If I hear the name Draco Malfoy one more time today it will be too soon"
Ron nodded "yeah let's go" Ron headed toward the door and opened it. Seamus followed, stopping when he reached Ron,
" After you Ronald" he said sweetly. "Thanks mate" he said turning around and leading the way.
"No problem, after all Weasley is our king" Seamus smiled evilly, as Harry burst out laughing.
Ron stopped in his tracks as Seamus sang the song that so haunted his last years at Hogwarts. "Bugger off, both of you"
He snapped before walking off in a huff, Leaving Harry and Seamus laughing in his expense.
Luna laughed as Lavender pulled a puke green dress robe of the rack and showed it to Hermione "I dare say you should get this one, it matches Harry's eyes" Hermione giggled "Harry's eyes don't even resemble that color Lav" she said moving further down the rack.
"I like the purple one Mione, you would look great in that one" Luna said Picking through some robes from the more expensive sections. Hermione smiled as she watched Luna flip through clothes. She was so happy Ron no longer had to pinch for money. She watched him struggle with hand me down robes and broken wands while her and Harry had everything they wanted.
They were more and willing to share but Ron wouldn't hear of it. He was too proud and she respected that. Ron deserved the chance to finally live comfortable. Lavender grabbed a yellow dress of the rack "Hey you guys, I'm going to try this on" she called to the girls.
"I think I'll try on the purple one" Hermione said. "Go on I'll stay out here with Ashlynn" Luna told Hermione.
Ashlynn sat near a rack of robes; she gave a small yawn as she bounced a ball Hermione bought her in a previous store. Luna smiled as she tousled the little girls hair. "Someone's sleepy," She said softly. " I'm not sleepy," she said shaking her head no.
Luna smirked "If you say so" Ashlynn yawned again and Luna sighed. Kids were always right no matter what. "I'm going to check this rack over here, you stay put okay"
"Okay aunt Luna" Ashlynn rubbed her eyes "When we leave here, can we get some ice cream?" she asked smiling.
The smile she gave her caused her heart to flip over in her chest "I'd love that ashy" she grinned and began to look through the rack of clothes.
He stood at the same rack for ten minutes now and still not a decent robe in sight "Don't they have just plain black robes for Merlin's sake?" he stated forcefully. Draco was beginning to get frustrated. He had to be somewhere in fifteen minutes and he needed a new robe, only problem he didn't find any that appealed to him and as a Malfoy he would settle for nothing else.
"Draco for the love of god, will you just pick something already" Blaise was close to tears. He hated shopping; he knew when he agreed to accompany Draco he was asking for trouble. Malfoy was almost as bad as a girl when it came to appearance.
"Maybe if you offered some assistance here, instead of complaining we could leave" Draco snapped. Blaise rolled his eyes digging into the countless dress robes that lay ahead of him.
Ashlynn continued to bounce her ball, her eyes were getting heavy. The ball bounced up, she readied her hand to catch the ball as it return, but missed it, causing the ball to bounce down a few rows.
She looked around for her aunt Luna in desperation. She wanted her ball. Looking around the side she spotted Luna on the far end of the aisle. She was too far down. Ashlynn stood up; she could just get the ball herself. With one last glance at Luna she darted down the rows following her bouncy ball.
"Hey I found a black robe" Blaise called out "Let me have it, I need to get out of here or I'll be late" Draco said taking the robe.
"I can't be late, I want to be there when they give.. What the hell?" Draco looked down to see what he just stepped on. A ball lay at his feet, well what was left of a ball.
"Is that a ball?" Blaise asked, "It was a ball" Draco said shrugging "Probably some brats"
"My ball" Draco whirled around. A little girl with brown curls stared at the crumbled remains of her ball. She looked up at Draco with watery brown eyes. Her lips trembled. Draco didn't know much about kids but it didn't take a lot for him to figure out this kid was going to cry.
He panicked; the last thing he needed was a crying kid. "My ball" her voice quivered, he needed to act fast.
"Hey, hey, I'm sorry about the ball" He fumbled around in his pocket "Look I'll replace your ball, just don't cry" he pleaded.
Draco pulled some money from his clip, quickly shoving it into her hand, "My mum says don't take things from strangers"
Ashlynn whimpered. Draco sighed
"My name is Draco, Draco Malfoy and you are" She gave him a shy smile "Ashlynn Nicole Potter"
Ashlynn smiled as Draco continued to stare at her speechless "Potter as in Harry Potter" he finally asked her.
"You know my daddy," she gasped in surprise. He couldn't breath, his heartbeat rung out in his ears. Sure he expected them to be intimate they were married after all, but to conceive a child was the ultimate betrayal. He needed air; this surely put a damper on his plans.
"Here you go kid, buy yourself another ball" Blaise studied Draco's expression with shame. He knew what Draco was thinking and judging by the tightness of his voice he was going to be hit with questions.
"Nina" he called to the clerk "Bill me for the robes, I've got to run" "Sure thing Mr. Malfoy" she called from behind a customer.
Draco turned with a swish of his cloak, without looking back. Blaise sighed as he sped up to catch him. Outside Draco released the breath he was holding. He wanted the hurt to go away. He never felt pain like this before. She promised to always love him; she said she accepted him for what he was. How did she end up another man's wife? His Hermione was a mother now and that changed everything.
He loved her and he vowed to get her back, but could he raise Potter's child. He needed to seriously think it out. He walked numbly through the streets of Diagon Alley, to absorbed in his thoughts to notice Blaise running behind him.
"Draco" he called after him. Blaise finally reaching him pulled on his shoulder making him stop "Draco, don't do this" he panted.
"Do what Zabini? Turn my back on my best friend" "I didn't turn my back on you Draco," he said sincerely "Oh no"
"A real friend would have told me the girl I loved was married. But did you? No." he spat "I didn't want you doing anything foolish, don't you see that. Hell I wasn't even sure if you still had feelings for her." He argued
"Wasn't sure I had feelings for her still" he scoffed "I let her go to save her life Blaise, not to send into the arms of Harry freaking Potter" Draco's eyes darken under his gaze "I would rather she died being with me then have to see her this way"
Blaise's expression soften "You don't mean that Draco" he said. Sighing in defeat Draco lowered his head. "Of course I don't, you arse," he said.
"But it doesn't mean I'm not pissed off you kept this from me. You are my best friend, my brother Blaise, I would have stood by you if it was Hannah" he said evenly.
"Draco; Hannah and I are a separate situation, you can't compare. But I understand what your saying and I'm sorry" "Listen we need to get to the meeting so let's go before they make the announcement"
"Fine" Draco snapped "Let's go; but we will finish this later back at Malfoy Manor, understood?"
Blaise's wide mouth cocked into a lopsided grin. "Yes sir; how can I refuse" he said
"What is that suppose to mean?" Draco muttered as he stomped across the asphalt.
"Oh just that if you cant bully me, you'll make me feel so sorry for you I cant help but do what you ask." He stated.
Draco smirked at blaise "Whatever gets the job done," he commented proudly. Blaise laughed as he slowly shook his head, "Let's go arse". Both vanished from the middle of the street.
Hermione hummed one of her favorite muggle tunes as she walked out of the changing room. The purple dress fit just perfectly. She blushed wondering what Harry would think of it. She couldn't shake him from her mind since lunch. She wasn't a fool; she knew Harry was upset with her.
That is why she couldn't tell him Draco came to the house. She was still pondering the jealous reaction Harry gave at the café. Surely he couldn't be jealous, yeah he cared for her, they were best friends but to be jealous, just wasn't fathomable
Hearing her daughter calling her name, Hermione abandoned all thoughts of the morning.
"Look mummy" Ashlynn thrust a large amount of money at Hermione. "Look what I got"
"Wow, honey… umm where did you gets this?" Hermione asked her daughter wirily. "From the man that broke my ball" she said grinning.
Seeing the look forming on her face Ashlynn's eyes widen "Don't worry mummy he told me his name, so it wasn't a stranger" she stated proudly.
Hermione smiled "Sweetheart, that still makes him a stranger and we don't accept anything from strangers" gently stroking her daughter's hair Hermione looked around the shop for Luna. Spotting her down the aisle, she motioned for her to come over.
"Hey did it fit?" Luna asked once she reached the pair. "Yes just right, but that's not important right now"
"Umm okay" Luna said offended "Luna did you know some man gave Ashlynn some money, a lot of money for her ball?"
"Impossible, she was sitting right here" Luna cried. Lifting up her hand Hermione showed Luna the wad of cash.
Luna gasped in surprise "I was just looking through the rack, Mione" Getting down to Ashlynn's level Luna looked at the little girl in worry "Ashy, did you leave the aisle honey?"
She nodded "My ball got away, I tried to get you, but you were looking at clothes. I'm a big girl Aunt Luna I got my ball myself," she stated proudly.
"Ashlynn Nicole I told you to stay put" Luna wailed. "Sorry" she whimpered, "you're mad at me" the little girl began to whimper, " Honey, I'm not mad, it's just something could have happened to you and then what would we do?"
"But nothing happened Luna, so no harm done" Hermione sighed "Ashlynn, where is the guy who gave you the money?" she asked.
"He left with his friend mummy, he didn't tell me his name, so he is a stranger, I didn't talk to him" Groaning Hermione shifted Ashlynn on her lap. "Ashlynn once again, people are still strangers if they tell you their names"
"He left?" Luna asked, "Are you sure?" The little girl nodded "Yes Aunt Luna why?"
"Well, baby that is a lot of money, we have to give it back" Hermione told her. Horrified Ashlynn clutched the money in her tiny hands.
"No it's mine, Mr. Malfoy broke my ball, he said I could get another one," she screeched.
Hermione felt her body go cold as Luna covered her mouth with her hand. "What did you say?" Hermione chocked out.
"He stepped on my ball, mummy and Mr. Malfoy knows daddy, he said so" "You spoke to Malfoy, sweetie," Luna gasped.
Rolling her eyes Ashlynn nodded "Aunt Luna, daddy say's it's rude to call people by last names, you call him Mr. Malfoy or Draco"
"Luna, take her" Hermione handed her daughter to Luna. "Mione where you going?" "To find that jerk,"
"Hermione you can't be serious. You cant just." It was too late, Hermione ran to the door and out into the open streets of Diagon alley.
Lavender emerged from the changing room dressed in soft yellow robes "Well what do you think?" she asked spinning around as fast as her bulging belly would allow her.
She stopped seeing she wasn't getting a response. Luna was glued to the window. Something obviously caught her attention. Lavender called to her "Luna"
Walking over toward the window she called again "You see a sale sign somewhere?" She asked smiling. Luna turned to look at her friend, her eyes held fear; dropping the smile from lavender face with a quickness.
"What is it?" she demanded, her voice lost all playfulness. Luna gulped "Draco was here, he spoke to Ashlynn"
"Oh my god" she gasped "Where's Hermione?" "Lav, she went to catch him. I never saw her so upset"
"No, what was she thinking? We have to go get her" "Nina" she called "Bill me for the robes"
Sighing Nina nodded "Sure thing Mrs. Finnigan"
Hermione searched the streets for the man in question. It was one thing to corner her, but her daughter. Panic rose in her heart. Did he notice anything familiar about her? Ashlynn said he knew her father, did he say anything to her about Harry? She didn't know; all she knew was Draco crossed the line. She couldn't risk him finding out about Ashlynn being his daughter. She was going to find him and give him a piece of her mind. It was the only way to keep her baby safe.
Lavender was the first to reach Hermione as she stood in the middle of the street looking for any evidence of the platinum blond head of a certain jerk.
"Mione you okay?" she asked.
Hermione inhaled a shaky breath and gave lavender what she hoped was a reassuring smile. Finding out Draco was alone with her daughter seemed so trivial of a problem compared to the terrifying idea of what she would have done to Draco if she found him
"It's okay Lav, he's gone," she said. Luna slowly approached them and Hermione took her daughter. "Ashlynn, you are never to speak to Mr. Malfoy again," she said with force
Ashlynn too afraid of her mother's sudden reaction simply nodded in agreement.
"Hermione isn't that kind of harsh, I mean after all he is on side." Hermione glanced darkly at her friend.
"I don't expect you to understand my reasons Luna, but one day when you have your own child and Lav would agree soon enough, you will see nothing is harsh when it comes to your child's safety"
"I know that it's just he is" Luna was cut off by Lavender "Guys"
Hermione held Ashlynn tighter "He is just what Luna, a jerk; since when did you become such a big promoter of Draco?"
She spat at her friend.
Gasping in shock Luna eyed Hermione with hurt "I don't promote Malfoy and you know that…" she began before Lavender cried out again.
"GUYS" "What" they both called in unison. "Sorry to interrupt, but my water just broke" Both girls glanced down at the puddle of water surrounding Lavender's feet.
"Oh my god, Lav your going to labor" Luna squealed, "You think?" she said smiling just as a contraction hit. "Oww" she cried out clutching her swollen belly. Fear began to override the happiness she was feeling as another wave of pain hit.
"I'm scared" she moaned, "I need Seamus". Hermione took charge "Luna, take Ashlynn to Ginny. Tell her what's happened. I'm going to apperate with Lav to St. Mungo's. Meet us there"
"Right" Luna said grabbing Ashlynn and with a pop she vanished.
Hermione beamed at Lavender "You ready for your baby" she knew the girl was scared; heck she wasn't so easy going when she had Ashlynn. Lavender squinted her eyes closed as another contraction came.
"Ok steady yourself, I'm going to get us to the hospital and I'll call Seamus from there" Hermione told her. Grabbing her hand she set a mental image of St. Mungo's in her mind and vanished.
"That is why I propose this new plan of action," Harry said. All eyes were on him as he made his speech to the ministry.
"By making it law to submit to random checks of all property, we can bring in the remaining death eaters still at large. We can finally put Voldemort behind us and move forward safely." He groaned inwardly at the gasp filling the room as he said Voldemort's name. These people would always fear the wizard even after death.
"With that said, I must ask you to please consider my plan of action. I need your votes. Thank you" stepping down from the podium, he joined Ron and Seamus on the floor. Harry couldn't pretend he didn't have a hidden agenda for wanting this law to pass. This law would allow him access to Malfoy Manor. He knew he could find some evidence to Draco's betrayal.
"How did I do?" he asked sitting next to Ron. "Bloody brilliant" Ron said to him. From behind him Seamus seconded the answer. "We will vote for it no doubt," he added.
"Thanks, both of you" Harry said as he spotted Neville giving the thumbs up sign to him. Smiling he turned his attention to the stage as the Minister of Magic took the microphone.
"First let me say excellent speech Mr. Potter. I'm sure you will have your votes". Some fellow wizards clapped before the room was silent once more.
"I have one last announcement before we part" the minister stated. "I have had the pleasure of introducing someone new to the family here at the Ministry of Magic. Some of you already know him, those of you who don't I trust will make him welcome."
People whispered among their tables. "Harry did you know about this?" Ron asked nodding his head he glanced back at the stage.
"Now with further ado, I would like to welcome the newest member of the Auror department, Draco Malfoy"
There was Draco Malfoy, shaking hands with the minister on the stage. This had to be the worse joke ever. He shook his head. This wasn't going to be good. It took only a few minutes for him to realize they just gave Draco a job in his department and he didn't even know about it.
At first, he couldn't believe it. His mind kept trying to find reasons this couldn't be true, But he finally had to admit it to himself. He would be working side by side with Draco Malfoy. How could that be? Turned to stone, Harry sat perfectly still, staring at the stage and unable to look away.
Well there it is guys chapter 5, chapter 6 will be out soon. Please review good or bad. Can't wait to hear from you.